Airship of Looooove!
by Loopy777
Summary: In aka Arashi's Book 4 fic, there comes a point where the main gAang is stuck on an Airship with nothing to do but get into funny romantic moments. This... is that story!
1. Ramblings and Prologue

_So, if you check out my Favorites list, you'll notice I have a Book 4 there. The author, aka Arashi, offered a challenge to do a "lost chapter" set after the latest update, calling for shipping shenanigans aboard an airship with the main cast. Sounded good to me! I encourage readers to check out the Book 4 first, but it's not really needed to read this; I do enough info-dumping._

_On a separate note, aka Arashi and I are working on a project together- an Avatar webcomic. Check out my profile for links and an explanation!  
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**aka Arashi****'s Book Four: Air - Chapter 8.5  
Airship of Love**

Previously on Avatar... According to MAI:

So even though the Avatar AND A FEW FRIENDS successfully brought an end to that war-thingy that everyone was so excited about they apparently didn't make a clean sweep of it and within a week of bringing their HEROIC JOURNEY to a close had to deal with a conspiracy of all their old enemies plus a few new third-raters. It started in Ba Sing Se where there was a big happy parade for which Katara wore her best feather bikini HUH I KNEW THAT GIRL WAS A STRUMPET and Sokka wore the most FABULOUS collection of furs I'd ever seen HONESTLY I WOULDN'T HAVE MINDED IF HE WENT WITH A FEATHER BIKINI TOO and then while they were distracted Ba Sing Se tried to retcon Fire into the element of Happy or something and when the Avatar objected HE LIKED 'HAPPY' BUT HE DID SPEND A LOT OF TIME LEARNING FIRE AND DIDN'T WANT IT TO GO TO WASTE LIKE HIS JUGGLING SKILLS they declared him a traitor and tried to capture everyone and Iroh lost his tea house and Toph had to admit that no one liked her. Then they left.

Meanwhile Sokka had gone on a camping trip in order to feel more manly or something WHY IS CAMPING CONSIDERED MANLY IS IT SOMETHING ABOUT THE LACK OF BATHROOMS but he fell in a ditch and broke every bone in his body and had to be dragged back out to civilization THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOMETHING ABOUT A KILLER DRAGON BUT I THINK NATURE SHOWS ARE BORING AND ANYWAY IT DIDN'T EAT SUKI. Aang had gone to play with pirates in order to feel better and met a pirate guy who didn't wear a shirt and thought he was Agni's gift to women and together they stole some mail and found letters from ex-Fire Lord Ozai which proved he wasn't exactly proving too pretty for prison and Aang was sent to go save everyone by a mysterious pirate lady who was probably Zuko's mother ALL MYSTERIOUS LADIES ARE ZUKO'S MOTHER DON'T YOU KNOW. Of course he was too late and by the time he and Iroh and everyone EXCEPT KATARA WHO WENT TO PICK UP SOKKA WITH THE FAMILY CAR arrived here I had been captured by Azula SHE SNUCK UP ON ME and Zuko had been captured by Ozai ZUKO IS JUST REALLY BAD WITH TRAPS and we had to bust ourselves out and then run away in Iroh's new Airship WHICH OF COURSE WASN'T EQUIPPED FOR ANY ACTUAL FIGHTING so it got shot down and the bad guys escaped and Sokka is practically dying and now the bad guys are going after the Southern Water Tribe WHY I DON'T KNOW MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ICE FOR THEIR DRINKS. Oh, and there are Kyoshi Warriors and Yu Yan Archers living on our Airship. I don't know why.

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Prologue - Meeting of Minds

On the bridge of the _White Dragon_ Imperial-class airship (the only Fire Nation asset that hadn't been seized by the illegitimate Phoenix King's New World Order), two of the wisest fighters in the world were in conference. As is often the custom when the fates of all the nations were at stake, the discussion did not begin until the highest quality tea was available to its participants.

Iroh, former general, master Firebender, and famed Dragon of the West, sipped his Jasmine and sighed. "Do you understand the concept of 'morale?' "

Toph Bei Fong, hero warrior, champion fighter, master Earthbender, and the inventor of Metalbending, swallowed a mouthful of her own tea and nodded. "Yeah, that's where people who are strong and happy do their work well, and the weak whiney people are slow and unreliable with their jobs."

"Succinctly put." Another sip of tea. "I've been keeping an eye on everyone, and I'm worried that the initial euphoria of all our friends reuniting is beginning to wear off."

Toph said nothing, but listened carefully.

"I don't it consider the fault of anyone aboard, or something unnatural. Considering the challenges we face, the setbacks we've suffered, and injuries we've sustained, we're actually doing quite well at keeping our spirits up. It is a testament to everyone's strength and sense of purpose. However, we are in dark times, and- perhaps it's just an old man being worrisome- I sense shadows settling down on hearts. I would like to do something, something small but effective, to improve everyone's moods. What do you think?"

Toph finished her tea and set the cup down. "I can kind of get what you're saying. Like, Katara's happy to be with Aang, but every time she looks at Sokka, she tightens up inside."

"Yes."

"And I agree that it should be small. I don't think anyone is going to miss what you're really doing, except maybe Aang, but if it's something small, they'll be okay with it. And it would take less effort from you, which we have to worry about because we're trying to run this ship on a skeleton crew. So, what are your ideas?"

"My first was a dance party in the bomb bay!"

"No."

"Yes, I thought that would be the reaction. Do you have any suggestions?"

Toph twisted so that instead of sitting politely at the low table, she would be lounging in front of it. "Well... it should be something that isn't a _rule_, you know? Like, if you make Zuko do it, he'll hate it. And even if you let people decide to do it themselves, you'll still have the grumps and the people who are too busy giving it a pass."

Iroh stroked his beard. "Something _inescapable_..."

"And it should-" Toph abruptly cut herself off, and only spoke again a moment later. "Like I said before, Katara's all happy whenever she's with Aang. Everyone important has someone they can make kissy faces with; I mean, we practically have to post a guard on the hallway connecting the Kyoshi barracks with the Yu-Yan barracks. We might as well make use of all that energy."

Iroh nodded slowly. "Love is perhaps the greatest healer of all."

"If you say so."

The old man slowly poured himself another cup of tea, carefully took a sip, and then suddenly jumped to his feet with a big grin. "I have it! We'll do music night!"

"I thought we said no dance parties," Toph laughed.

"I misspoke. You see, back when Zuko and I were searching for the Avatar on a ship together, I instituted a music night to help bring together the crew and provide a little entertainment. My favorite times were when we'd get a moving romantic song! So, we'll get everyone to listen to beautiful love songs, and we'll let nature do the rest. I'm sure everyone aboard knows at least one good tune, and wouldn't mind singing it."

Toph sat up. "But how are you going to broadcast it so that..." she trailed off and she extended her senses through the bridge cabin around them, and remembered the Announcement Carrier Pipes that Sokka had once used to invite another Airship crew to a fake Birthday Party. "Oh, I get it. I hope the singing will carry well."

Iroh polished off the rest of his tea, cleared his throat, and approached the speaker horn. "We'll have to see. Do you know the old tune, 'Love is in the Gifts You Give?' "

**To Be Continued...**


	2. Love is in the Gifts

Love is in the Gifts

Momo was hiding in the small Mess compartment when Iroh made an announcement over the Speaker Tubes. (The lemur had previously tried to use those pipes as shortcuts through the airship, but that hadn't worked out well at all.) Whatever it was that the Old Human was saying, it caught the attention of the red-faced man and two white-faced women who were snacking on rations at the room's only table. They looked up at the tubes, as if that would help them hear better, and Momo made his move. He scampered out from between a pair of storage boxes, quickly climbed up to the table top, and while staying as flat as possible, snatched the half-eaten biscuits from right beneath the humans' noses.

Then, balancing on his hind legs with his arms and wings wrapped protectively around his prize, he fled the scene of the crime like a bat-thing out of the Fire Nation.

Momo paused at the room's doorway when the pipes began squawking with the Old Human's singing. There was a soothing quality to the melody and the singer's warm enthusiasm, but the sound itself was horribly off key and spurred Momo to trot a little faster as he carried his snacks through the Airship's corridors. The lemur only had to stop and hide at two points- once when the Nice But Bossy Water Girl passed through the halls with a bar of soap in her hands, and another when Aang and the Loud Pink Girl were carrying a metal pipe to the back of the ship. Finally, Momo reached his destination- the bomb bay (or as he liked to think of it, the Big Place That Wasn't As Good As Outside But Had Lots of Hiding and Climbing Spaces). Momo relaxed, and put his stolen biscuits down so that he could sink to all four paws for a rest. The Old Human was still singing; it sounded like he had taken the song up again from the beginning.

That's when The Enemy struck. Momo had no idea where it had come from, but at some point after Annoying Hawky had been sent into the horizon, a Pigeon Jay had materialized from the depths of the ship, and had claimed Hawky's makeshift nest in the heights of the bomb bay as its own.

Whatever the misfortune was that had all the humans smelling so stressed, it must be dire indeed if it came with the arrival of _nest-stealers_!

The treacherous bird swooped down from the darkness of the rafters and absconded with its talons full of Momo's hard won (stolen) biscuits. Momo did what any reasonable lemur would do- screeched with outrage and launched himself after the thief. The Jay's feathered wings provided more lift in the enclosed space, but Momo had more useful limbs and hands, and could easily transition from flight to climbing and back faster than any human could process. As the Jay neared the top of the bay, it twitched its head to the side to scope out the pursuit, and when it saw Momo hot on its tail feathers, the bird changed its flight course away from its nest and back towards the relatively open air of the lower bay.

This was the Jay's downfall. As the bird dived sharply, it turned its head again to check on Momo. The lemur was still in angry pursuit, but his spirits lifted when he saw a huge, furry obstruction rise into the Jay's path unnoticed.

Giant Warm Friend Protector Appa!

The thieving Pigeon Jay crashed right into Appa's fuzzy arrow, bounced off, and landed on the bay's metal floor sprawled on its back. The stolen biscuits scattered across the deck.

Momo landed lightly on Appa's forehead, nuzzled the bison in the same manner that Aang frequently used, and jumped off to collect his prize. The lemur set most of the pile in front of Appa, keeping one fruit-flavored biscuit for himself, and scampered up to eat on his friend's back. Appa let out a grateful groan, and licked up the rest of the food.

Just as Momo got his own biscuit in his mouth, he spotted the Pigeon Jay watching from a rafter. When the bird caught the lemur looking at him, it gave a mournful little coo.

Momo cocked his head, paced on all fours in a little circle, and came to a decision. He took the unchewed food out of his mouth, broke a piece off, and threw it at the bird. The Pigeon Jay leapt into flight with a grateful cry, and snatched the morsel out of the air.

Momo's remaining piece was oh so sweet.

**To Be Continued...**


	3. Little Temptress

Little Temptress

Toph was enjoying the sound of one of the Kyoshi Warriors singing over the announcement pipes when a harsh grumbling echoed from a nearby room. Although Toph had learned to really like metal (especially when it was time to fight), it had some unpleasant characteristics, too, the most annoying being its tendency to transmit all kinds of sounds and vibrations without any regard for Toph's sensitive hearing. Sighing, the Earthbender girl changed her destination and walked into the room that was the source of the cacophony.

Although the "Imperial" was the only airship class outfitted with extensive crew quarters for long voyages, it still wasn't particularly roomy, and most certainly not designed to house both genders in a respectable manner. The men were using the normal residential facilities aboard, but the girls had all taken control of some unused cargo space and re-purposed it as best they could. The room Toph followed the grumbling to would normally have contained explosive ammo for the ship's cannons, but now it served a much different purpose. Toph pushed open the ajar door and stepped in to discover a large metal basin filled with water and a griping Katara. "Stupid Fire Nation ship doesn't even have a- TOPH!"

The Earthbender smiled. "Got it one!"

"Toph, shut the door! I'm not wearing any clothes!"

"Hey, it was already open. I just followed the sound of your bellyaching."

"_Well go ahead and close it now._ I swear, these doors are warped or something, because I just _cannot_ get them to close right and the locks-"

"Closed," Toph reported as the door shut with a clang. "So, what's got you this crazy? Because usually, it takes a lot of work to drive you up a wall like this, and if I have any competition on this ship, I want to know about it."

Katara stepped out of the water and actually gave a little snarl. "I just wanted a _few minutes_ to relax and take a bath, but first I find that someone used up all the water without telling me, so I had to go out and pull some more moisture from the clouds, and then I find that there's no way on this stupid ship to heat a tub of water without dragging it all the way to the engine rooms and back, and while I grew up in the South Pole, a cold bath is _not_ something I enjoy." The Waterbender stopped, turned to look at Toph, and sighed. "I'm sorry for ranting. It's just that things have been so crazy, and even now we're so busy taking care of Sokka, running and fixing the ship, training, making plans... _doing nothing_ while my tribe could be fighting for survival... I just need to a moment to be regain my balance, you know?"

Toph smiled and leaned back against the wall. "I understand. And I think I have your solution."

"Oh?"

"Invite Aang to join you. He's a Firebender. He can keep your bath hot for you."

Even through the metal, Toph could sense Katara's heartbeat double in speed. "Toph! That's completely inappropriate!"

"Eh."

"I... Aang... we... it wouldn't... I couldn't do that to him! He's... and I'm... it just wouldn't be right." The growling tone had returned to the Waterbender's voice. "If you can't act like you're... huh."

"What?"

"Actually, it's not a completely bad idea."

"Woo! Go, Sugar Queen!"

"_Not like that_. Anyway, Aang is in the engine room trying to follow Sokka's repair instructions, and it would be mean to make him hang around with a towel over his head, heating my bath, while I'm... not wearing anything. But I could get Zuko to do it!"

"Zuko?"

"Yeah, he wouldn't mind, and he's older and more mature, and not the type that would be put off balance by a girl taking a bath near him."

"...are you sure?"

"Of course. He's so Honorable and formal, I can't imagine him peeping on a girl in the bath. He's like a brother to me, now. He can just not look, and I'll get my warm bath!"

"I think the stress is rotting your brain."

"Could you go find him and ask him to come here? I could, but then I'd have to get dressed again, and find him..."

"No worries, Sugar Queen. I'll handle it for you."

"Thanks! You're a good friend, Toph."

Whether Katara would have maintained that sentiment a few minutes later is a question Toph would love to have answered. The Earthbender found Zuko back in the infirmary, making plans with Sokka, Mai, and Suki, and announced her presence and request to the group as loudly as possible. "Zuko, Katara wants you to join her in the bath!"

Everyone was speechless.

Sokka was the first to recover his voice, but his, "EEEEEEAAAAAWWWAAAAAAA?" hardly improved the situation.

Zuko's response was much more coherent. "_What?_"

"Katara's taking a bath, and wants you to use your Firebending mojo to keep the water warm for her. She says she trusts you not to look at anything, you being an Honor Freak and all. Seriously."

Dead silence again. Zuko turned a pleading look at Mai, who didn't move, but Toph could hear the amusement in her voice. "I'm not providing any excuses. I trust _you_, do you trust _her_?"

Sokka sounded much less entertained. "Zuko, if you-"

Suki put a finger to his lips. "Don't you that kind of thing is more Aang's responsibility?"

"Yeah, but he's not here, and he's so weird he'd probably be okay with it, and-"

"Then what's the problem?"

Zuko slapped his forehead. "She's going to owe me big for this."

* * *

When Zuko arrived at the room Toph directed him to, the Kyoshi Warrior Ani was still singing as part of Uncle's crazy musical marathon. The current song was, if Zuko was hearing Ani's tinny voice properly through the broadcast pipes, a Kyoshi Island classic, but Zuko doubted it. What kind of place considered a song named, "Little Temptress" to be classic entertainment? (Neither was Zuko deaf to the irony, but he was used to life treating him that way.)

He knocked on the closed door lightly, his unease leading him back into habits of stealth. Unfortunately, Katara still heard it. "Zuko? Is that you?"

"...yes."

"Good, come in, it's okay."

The Fire Lord opened the door, and stepped through with every bit as much trepidation as he felt when first meeting his father upon returning from Avatar-hunting exile; he wasn't sure this situation would be any less dangerous. Katara was inside, next to a tub full of water, with a thick towel wrapped around her. "Zuko, thanks so much! I just need you to heat this water, and then keep it warm for a few more minutes while I wash up! I owe you big for this!"

"Yeah. Okay." He stepped over and put his hands on the side of the metal tub. He began breathing deeply, sending his chi through his arms and out again in the form of pure heat. The water rippled a bit, and even just standing next to it, Zuko could feel the air reflecting the increase in thermal energy. "Is this good?"

Katara checked the water with a finger, and smiled. "Perfect. You can keep it like this?"

"I'll sit down here next to the tub, with my back against it. I'll just watch the door, and I can keep my hands on the tub behind me to keep the heat up."

"Great! Really, I'm very grateful."

Zuko said nothing. He just took his station.

As was often the case, Mai was right- people always misjudged the quiet ones. (She would know.) For some reason, it was usually assumed that if you weren't as expressive as Ty Lee on chi-enhancing tea, you had nothing to express. For people like Mai and Zuko, nothing could be further from the truth. They were just more in control, for reasons that Zuko didn't feel qualified to diagnose. (Parents were probably to blame; they always were.) Zuko was always surprised when someone assumed that he didn't care about what went around him, just because he was well-behaved (usually). Brains didn't require mouth movement in order to work. Nevertheless, such assumptions continued.

The silliest was when people assumed he wasn't really interested in girls.

Was he really so stoic, that Katara didn't think he would care that she _bathing naked right behind him_?

The towel hit the floor, the water splashed slightly as the Waterbender sunk in, and Zuko struggled to keep his nervous swallow inaudible.

"Ah, that's much better. Thanks, Zuko. My tired body really needed this."

Argh.

"Oops, I left my soap on the floor. Could you hand it up to me?"

Another surprising thing about Zuko was that he was a good strategist. That's how he freed Aang from Zhao's fortress as the Blue Spirit. Thus, he involuntarily thought of six different ways he could 'accidentally" catch the view in the process of handing the soap up. He didn't, of course. But it hurt.

"Thanks." Was the sound of a bar of soap rubbing against skin supposed to be so intriguing? "You know, Toph actually suggested I get Aang to do this. I'm blushing just thinking about it! Especially with this lewd song playing. I don't know what your uncle is thinking letting that Kyoshi Warrior sing that thing. And I'm surprised Suki allowed it."

Zuko bit back his first response. "I bet Toph is appreciating the soundtrack."

"Yeah. Toph is just too much trouble. We need to get her a hobby for as long as we're traveling in this thing."

Zuko felt an evil urge coming up. For all that he had struggled to earn redemption, he still had some dark, malevolent shadows in his soul. (It didn't help that Mai tended to encourage them.) Keeping his voice level, he replied, "Trouble is one word for it. When she came to get me for you, she announced to the whole room- everyone was there but Aang and Ty Lee- that you wanted me to take a bath with you."

"_SHE DIDN'T!_"

A splash of warm water spilled down onto his shirt, and then a dripping on his head caused Zuko to look up before he could stop himself. It probably wasn't by design, considering the wild look in her eyes, but the edge of the tub was just barely preserving Katara and Zuko's easy friendship after she had rushed over to confront to his tease. "Um..."

She blinked, blushed, and shrank back from view. "Sorry." Zuko heard more water sloshing, and felt some more spilling out to fall on him, soaking the rest of his shirt. When Katara spoke again, the strength was back in her voice. "I'm going to kill Toph later. Or at least make fun of her disability."

"You do that. Almost done?"

"I just need to get my back. But that's easy for a Waterbender. It's actually a pretty nice perk."

"I can imagine." Unfortunately, Zuko's imagination kicked in at that point to prove him right. He hoped Katara didn't notice the sudden surge in heat.

"Okay, all done. But... oh, darn."

"What?"

"My towel dropped. I'm getting out to get it; don't turn around."

"Of course not." If Zuko didn't know Katara as the worst liar he had ever met outside of himself, he might have suspected her of doing this on purpose. She could be just as bad as Toph, sometimes.

"Okay, I'm set. Thank you, Zuko. I knew I could count on you to be a gentleman about this; I've come to feel so safe around you."

The Fire Lord turned around to see Katara once again wrapped in her towel. She bowed quickly to him, and he told himself he didn't at all notice the way the wet towel clung to her. "My pleasure, Katara. I hope you feel better after this."

"Zuko..."

"Hm?"

"Really, I'm sorry I bugged you with this. I know you must be feeling pretty bad about everything... Ozai... but I want you to know that we all really love you, and we'll face this together. You doing this for me just shows how great a friend you want to be, and I hope you know that we feel the same about you. We're your family now, and I'm your new annoying little sister."

Zuko bowed formally, but couldn't help but smile. "You get Sokka to give you baths, too?" Katara laughed, and the Fire Lord beat a hasty retreat just ahead of the a tub's worth of water being thrown at him.

He headed for Mai's quarters, where he was stashing his spare clothes until Uncle let him move out of the infirmary, so that he could get himself a dry shirt. When he opened the door, he found the girlfriend in question sitting leaning against another metal basin full of water, wearing only a towel. She smirked, and waved him in. "I was thinking that a bath sounded good. Care to provide the heat? Or are you too tired out?"

Zuko smiled and shut the door. Perhaps a dry shirt wasn't his first priority, after all. "I think I'm hot enough for you."

"Ugh, no puns, please."

**To Be Continued...**


	4. You're the Wind in my Sail

You're the Wind in my Sail

Aang stood in _The White Dragon's_ main engine room, surrounded by metal and stifling heat, and wished for a clean breeze. Even the current level of fever in the air, though, was only a fraction of what the vast machine was capable of. During the battle with the New World Order, the ship had sustained enough damage to knock it out of the air, and although a series of hasty repairs had been made since, one major mechanical problem still remained.

The engines were running too hot. Pushing them to produce a reasonable speed risked melting the metal they were made of.

Sokka had reviewed the onboard schematics for the engines, but he was stuck in his sick bed with broken bones, and his long-distance theories could only yield so much without all the necessary parts for real repairs. Whatever the original method was for handling all the heat, the _Dragon_'s current crew was simply unable to duplicate it.

But they had their own talents and ideas.

Aang stepped up to the communication pipe that connected directly to the bridge. "We're ready down here for the first test."

"Wonderful. I'll make the announcement," Iroh's tinny voice came back. A second later, the whole ship echoed with the same voice, much louder but equally metallic. "Attention: We regret to announce a short suspension in the wonderful music we've all been enjoying, while we run a short test on our engines. we hope the results will have us moving at much greater speeds. When we return, soon, we'll be treated to Hako of the Yu Yan Archers, and his flute rendition of 'You're the Wind in my Sail.' Thank you! Aang, you are free to commence."

The Avatar turned to the engine room's other occupant. "All right, you ready?"

Ty Lee, clad in a utilitarian, soot-stained red tunic that she borrowed from the engine room's supply cabinet, nodded eagerly. Despite the clothes being designed for a much bigger, more muscular frame, the girl had managed to tie and tuck it so that it somehow clung to her like her old acrobat outfit. It was typical of her, really. So was the hug she suddenly gave Aang. "Let's make this airship zoom!"

Aang couldn't help but laugh, because she was right. This was going to be _fun_!

Once he had extricated himself, Aang spread his arms out wide, and let a gust of Airbending carry him into a massive jump. He reached the engine room's high roof, and grabbed a hold of the grating panel right above him. The holes were big enough for him to squeeze through, and led to a large venting pipe that he could stand up in with only a slight hunch. Following it would eventually lead outside, but Aang didn't need to go that far. Although this, and other similar pipes, had originally been designed to carry excess smoke outside the airship, Sokka had figured out an alternate use that might solve their heat problems.

Aang only went as far as the first junction, where all the venting paths converged into one main path to the outside sky. Aang could taste the presence of clean air struggling in vain against the choking heat.

Time to give it a hand! He wouldn't even need the Avatar State for this.

The last Airbender swung both his arms in unison like a pendulum, opening his hands like he was beckoning back the way he came. The Air stirred in response, and a massive wind coalesced all around him, tugging his robes like a friendly pet. The stifling heat was pushed back by a cool breeze with all the power of a tidal wave.

Down in the engine room, Ty Lee gasped and giggled as fresh air blasted over her. Compared to the hot air that had been radiating out from the engines, this breeze felt almost _frigid_, but Ty Lee knew that the ship was too far yet from the Southern Waters for the sky outside to be anything other than pleasant. She ran to the nearest temperature gauge, read the dial, and shouted in a voice that somehow swam against the current of the breeze and carried upward. "Engine Block 2 is out of the danger range!" She ran to the next engine, cart-wheeling as she went out of sheer excitement, and came to a halt right in front of the glass-covered gauge. "Engine Block 3 is still hot!"

Aang frowned up in his loft and shouted a reply. "Which vent should I aim for?"

Ty Lee looked up and gave a frown that she couldn't know was a mirror of Aang's. They probably should have numbered these vent things. Then her eyes lit up with a burst of inspiration. She threw herself into a leap, kicked off the nearest support beam, and continued an upward course with a series of movements that Momo might have recognized. When she was just below the grating aimed at Engine 3, she grabbed a hold of the beam, swung to a stop, and began singing.

Aang, alone in the machine, heard a voice that could have passed for a spirit, crooning, "You're the Wind in my Sail!" The last Airbender smiled, and, while maintaining his stance, swung his left arm at the specific pipe that had resonated with Ty Lee's call.

On the other end, a new wind rushed out and nearly spun Ty Lee in a circle around her perch. Although she maintained her safety, she couldn't stop her hair from beginning to escape from its braid. That prompted a minor huff of annoyance, but then she remembered the purpose behind the tragedy and let herself drop to the floor for a look at the gauge. "Engine block 3 is looking good, Aangy! I'll serenade you from the next vent!"

"Aangy?" the ventilation pipes echoed.

The exercise repeated, with Ty Lee purring a song-line into each of the desired vents to guide Aang's bending to the best path to the engines. "You're the wind in my sail! The strength of a storm gale! Your love driiiiiiiives me to new heights! You're a breeze on my heart! You make my choices look smart! You make me beeeeeeeeetter in every way! 'Cause we flyyyyyyyy, fly together, and we'll be together foreeeeeeeeeeeever! Sailing intoooooo the skyyyyyyyyyy!"

The final result didn't bring all the machines to their optimal temperatures, and once Aang stopped bending, the strength of the breeze would lessen, but Air had its own patterns and habits, and the path Aang created would last and draw wind until heavier weather disrupted the flow. Also, the engines would be increasingly cooled as the atmosphere outside chilled during their Southern Journey.

_The White Dragon_ had to do the best with what it had.

As did Aang and Ty Lee.

The last Airbender dropped from the ceiling grating, and landed lightly beside the Kyoshi Acrobat. She hugged him, of course, for a job well done, her loosened hair spilling all over his head and shoulders from the force of her tackle. He hugged her back. "So, is that really how the song goes? The one the Yu Yan guy is going to play on his flute?"

Ty Lee pulled back and giggled. "Nope! It's an old Fire Nation dancing tune, but it doesn't have any formal lyrics. People just make up whatever they want."

"You _made those up_?"

"Yup!"

Aang looked into her gray eyes. "I liked them."

"I figured you would."

**To Be Continued...**


	5. If Only He Saw

If Only He Saw

Toph hated the song now broadcasting over the message pipes so much, that when Zuko marched in to the little dojo-room whistling that rather silly 'Little Temptress' song from earlier, it was almost a relief. Granted, the Fire Lord's whistling definitely needed some practice, but his choice at least couldn't possibly apply to Toph (although imaginging the ways it could was a fun if discomforting exercise). The twelve-year-old Earthbender was just positively sick of hearing a Kyoshi Warrior with a mournful voice lament the man whose gaze never turned to her, because it was ever drawn to a horizon that she could never compete with, giving the singer cause to wonder if the man even knew she was alive. It didn't completely apply to Toph, and the Kyoshi girl likely wasn't actually singing from the heart, but the lyrics were still driving Toph up a wall.

As rare as a good mood was for Zuko, especially since they met up again aboard _The White Dragon_, Toph smirked and decided that her own happiness had priority. "Katara's bath was that much fun, huh?"

Zuko stopped his whistling abruptly. "That reminds me, I owe you some payback for that announcement you made about her request for help."

Toph shrugged. "Go ahead and shoot fire at me. I could use the exercise, especially with no Earth to bend up here. It's good to keep my metal-munching skills in practice, but even my fingers need a break every now and then."

"You don't mind dodging?"

"Just keep it slow. I can practice my footwork."

"Fair enough." Zuko took a stance with one fist held forward like a weapon, and the other held ready above his head. "Just give me the word."

Toph crouched and brought her hands up in her signature fighting style. "Go for it, Sparky." A jet of flame exploded from Zuko's fist, and Toph felt heat wash over her as she neatly sidestepped the fireball. They continued that way for a while, neither one feeling the need to bother with taunts or conversation. Toph enjoyed the opportunity to focus, senses extended as intensely as the metal environment would allow, moving efficiently and with purpose. Zuko was perhaps making it a bit too easy for her, but she understood his caution, and to tell the truth, Toph already had too much of experience fighting for her life against Firebenders.

She would probably be doing it again all too soon.

The peril of simplicity, though, is that it fails to fully engage the mind. After a while, Toph actually found her thoughts wandering, which could be a great danger in and of itself. Even worse, her movements had unconsciously fallen into step of _that song_, which was still playing over the pipes. As the lyrics to 'If Only He Saw' moved on to a new verse, Toph lamented allowing Iroh not only to proceed with his annoying little morale-booster, but not stopping him when he decided to have each singer recite their song three times for maximum impact. The Earthbender dodged the next fireball, and called out. "Hold! I need a break."

Zuko immediately backed down. "Really? You seem like the least tired of everyone on the ship."

"Yeah, well, I was getting distracted. Babysitting you pansies takes a lot of mental effort."

"Yeah, you have seemed a little off," the Fire Lord offered innocently. "Seeing Sokka so messed up must have been tough for you."

What exactly did he mean by that? "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Um? Nothing? We all... _oh_. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

Toph felt a grimace twist her face. Was she that obvious, or had the stupid music given him ideas? "My question stands, He With His Foot in His Mouth, and you should apply it to what you just said, too. Just like I'm going to apply my elbow to your face if you don't answer."

Zuko actually raised a hand to scratch his hair self-consciously. "I didn't realize. I mean, I knew you liked Sokka, but I didn't put together until now that you... well, I've been there, and I'm sorry if I'm embarrassing you."

Toph sighed. "You know you're the only one for me, Hot Stuff. Even if Katara is more forward about it."

Zuko, of course, couldn't be counted on to get the joke. "Katara didn't mean it that way! At least she didn't grab me and drag me along on a therapy session!"

"Yeah? Well, you could have a little nicer about it! Argh, what is with you oblivious guys? Are you all just made this way, or did you all just catch it from Katara?"

To Toph surprise, Zuko actually laughed. The guy who was maimed by his father, exiled from his home, hunted by his sister, and chose to betray everything he once believed in to side with the forces of good and save the world, and had now had discovered his wife was kidnapped (she got better) and his kingdom had possibly been stolen by that same evil father... was laughing like a kid at a crude joke. When he caught his breath, he said, "She _was_ pretty oblivious for a while, huh?"

Toph couldn't help but grin. "_You_ saw it? Man, it must have been _obvious_."

"Hey," he sputtered, "I'm not _that_ oblivious. I kind of knew Mai had a little crush on me, eventually, and you were so obvious that you had me _blushing_. And I _never_ blush. Oh... are you still... with me?"

"Nah, I think that was a 'new older guy' thing." Toph sighed and decided to plunge ahead. It could hardly get any worse, at this point. "Sokka... turned out to be more permanent. He was before you, you know."

"I didn't know you back then, so no, I never picked up on it. But Aang and Katara," Zuko laughed, "were so obvious that I picked up on it when I was chasing them. I actually thought they were _together_, for a while, like they are now."

Toph turned to face Zuko, for the first time during the conversation. "So... you actually picked up a lot about crushes, huh?"

"...what?"

"Well, you and Mai shared one, and now you're getting married." Toph felt Zuko smile at that. Dork. "And you saw Aang and Katara's ups and downs, and you had to deal with me and my need for attention. And I _hope_ you have a few more girls in your past, or that would just be sad of you. So, you've seen quite a bit of this, for a hopeless dork."

"Honestly," Zuko ran his hand through his hair again, "I wouldn't say I'm an expert or anything. I mean, even now, Mai can make me feel like... well, a hopeless dork, and _she_ was the one to... initiate things. I just... go with what I feel."

"Oh. Well, that's all right, I didn't figure you'd be too smart anyway. My situation is kind of different from what you've seen."

"Toph." The Fire Lord crouched down and put a hand awkwardly on her shoulder. "I know, maybe now more than ever, that life is full of ups and downs. No matter what, we all fail at a lot of what we try to do. Uncle says we all have a destiny, but I've never been able to see it, even when I've been on the right path. All I can do is follow my inner fire... my heart... and walk the path with Honor. Maybe things won't work out for you, maybe they will, but in ways you won't necessarily like at first, and maybe a happy landing will fall in your lap. You're strong, and no matter how much you hurt, you'll always survive to reach a better time and place. You get it?"

Before Toph could answer, the singing stopped. "Yeah, I get it. You know, I don't know why Sokka calls you a dummy, you can kind of be pretty wise at times."

"Thanks." He smiled. Then he frowned. "...wait..."

Toph pushed his hand off her shoulder. "At least that stupid song is done."

"What song? I wasn't really listening."

"Typical. Time to dodge, Sparky, I feel the need to bend some Metal coming on!"

**To Be Continued...**


	6. Boy In Trouble

Boy in Trouble

It had been a good day for Sokka. With his breakfast, Katara had brought him _meat_, a bit of jerky she had bartered away from a Yu Yan Archer; the meat was komodo dragon jerky, nothing like the seal that Sokka and most Water Tribe men favored, but it was still tough, salted, dry _meat_. After that, everyone had come to discuss plans, and while they were still a long way from the Southern Water Tribe, they had the beginnings of a workable course of action; there was a lot more to discuss, but Sokka was finally feeling a sense of progress. Hawky was on his way to the Tribe itself to warn everyone of the incoming New _But Mostly Old Evil In a New Suit_ World Order, and there was no animal Sokka would trust more to save his family, aside from Appa, but the big guy would be needed when they arrived to fight.

Later, Toph had provided a good laugh, after Sokka had been convinced that his sister _wasn't_ actually taking a bath with Zuko. That would just be weird.

Plus, Iroh had been having people sing music into the announcement system all day. _That_ was neat. Not that Sokka was really enjoying all the music that much, because it was mostly a bunch a love songs, but the idea of broadcasting music like that was interesting. It was like a concert or play, but you didn't have to be there to enjoy it! Could the same be done with speeches, or lectures? Sokka was especially intrigued by the idea of somehow broadcasting hunting lessons across the entire Southern Water Tribe, but he'd have to put together a lot of metal pipes that wouldn't rust, and that would be a lot of work. Perhaps there was some way he could send sound via Hawky?

Anyway, Sokka was having a lot of fun thinking about it, and lunch would be here any minute now. How could the day be going any better?

The door opened, and in walked Ty Lee. Whatever it was she thought she was wearing, it didn't even attempt to cover her legs.

As much as it was a nice view, Sokka couldn't help but feel that same sense of doom that came whenever Aang and Katara was about to lead him into a trap.

"Hiya, Cutey!" she chirped. "I'm here to take care of you. Just consider me your private nurse!"

"...riiiiiight." Before he could say anything else, a new song was announced over the broadcast pipes, a piece called 'Boy in Trouble' that would be sung by one of Ty Lee and Suki's Kyoshi Kompatriots. Sokka turned to glare at the pipe's betrayal, and then back at Ty Lee. "Do any of the following know you're here- my sister, my girlfriend, my Toph, or Iroh?"

Ty Lee smiled in a way that made Sokka feel like _prey_. "Noooooooope."

* * *

Toph was just looking for a towel to wipe the sweat out of her hair, and instead found Katara and Suki growling at each other. Great.

"_Where_ are you going?" the Waterbender asked.

"I'm pretty sure you heard me," Suki said primly.

Toph walked right into the makeshift Girls' Bathing room. "I didn't. Repeat it for me so that I can properly appreciate this fight."

Both of the other girls turned to face her with hostile expressions on their faces. It was Suki who spoke first. "I was just going to take Sokka some lunch, and help him wash up. He's been stuck in that bed for a while, and I'm sure he'll appreciate feeling clean as much as any of us. _Right, Katara?_"

Katara crossed her arms over her chest. "She wants to give Sokka a _sponge bath_!"

It was a curious thing that, even though her eyes were useless, they still widened whenever Toph was surprised. "A _what_?"

Katara's voice had more than a trace of satisfaction. "Exactly what I said."

"And _I_," Suki quickly came back, "don't see how it's any of your business. Sokka's a grown-up now, Katara."

"He _also_ injured, a state he's in because _you_ couldn't keep him safe, and as his _healer_, I don't think it's wise to risk his recovery because you're _bored_."

Toph hadn't heard someone speak with so many italics since the last time she encountered Azula. "Wait, that's your argument?"

"Of course. Just because Suki has me doubting her commitment to my brother doesn't mean I'm going to stand in the way of their relationship."

Suki's screech hurt Toph's ears. "_What?_"

Katara leaned forward. "I'm pretty sure you heard me."

Toph sighed. Truly, karma was an active force in the world. No sooner can someone receive some much-needed wisdom, then they were called upon to dispense some more. "Okay, enough. Time for the Blind Bandit to end the fighting. Katara, Suki is totally into Sokka and it's unfair to start persecuting her because you're upset about Sokka and your Tribe and the fact that Zuko didn't really enjoy your bath at all."

The Waterbender actually growled at Toph.

Toph ignored her. "And Suki, you have to understand that Katara is really stressed, and as much as you want some alone time with your boyfriend, we're all a team here and we can't push forward and alienate each other just because we can't have our way. Also, Sokka is still recovering, and as much as he might need a clean-up, you might not be the best candidate for the job. Therefore, since I'm blind and consider Sokka just a friend anyway, I'll give him the sponge bath."

Suki and Katara spoke simultaneously. "_No_."

* * *

Sokka smiled back nervously. "so... what's your plan here?"

Ty Lee began doing what Sokka could only describe as _stalking_ around his bed. "Oh, just change your bandages, check your pulse. You've been lying there for a while, so your muscles could probably use a massage to keep them from getting sore and weak. And it's been a while since you had a good wash, so I could get some warm water and a sponge-"

"NO THANKS," Sokka found himself interjecting. "I'm, um, not allowed to touch water. Katara said it could... disrupt the healing magic she's given me. So, maybe another time. Okay?"

"Oh, okay. I wouldn't want to hurt you. I'd much rather _heal_ you, Cutey. So, which would you rather first- new bandages, or a nice massage?"

Sokka couldn't help but wonder which option would get Ty Lee out of the room quicker.

* * *

"What? Why are you both mad at _me_?"

Suki and Katara were pacing in a circle around Toph, each exactly 180 degrees apart from the other (however they managed that, considering that neither one of them even knew what the word 'degrees' meant in any context). The Kyoshi Warrior spoke from behind Toph. "As much as you'd like us to believe that you wouldn't enjoy getting your hands on Sokka, I think we're both too smart for that."

Katara stopped walking. "We are? Wait, why?"

"Haven't you seen the way she looks at Sokka?"

Katara looked at Toph, looked back at Suki, looked at Toph, looked back at Suki, threw one more look at Toph, and then finally settled on Suki. "Is this a blind joke?"

"You know what I mean!"

"Oh, Suki, this is getting bad." Katara actually smiled tentatively and stepped back from Suki. "Do you know what the word, 'paranoid,' means in any context?"

"You little Waterbending-"

The sound and chaos of a two-person brawl kept Toph from hearing the rest of that statement, which was too bad, because the Earthbender was sure it contained a lot new words she'd like to hear in their proper context.

* * *

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Wakakakakakakakakakakaka! Ty Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

The Kyoshi acrobat looked up from her attempts to re-tape Sokka's ribs. "Yes?"

"You're a great girl with a wonderful personality and fantastic legs and _you're killing me with your ham-fisted attempts at practicing medicine_!"

"Oh." She took a moment to think about that. "So, we should move on to the massage?"

* * *

Toph dove into the brawl, and emerged with an angry growling member of the Southern Water Tribe in one hand, and a paranoid hissing Kyoshi Warrior in the other. "Ladies, please. Even _I'm_ embarrassed for you. You're acting like you're half my age."

Both stopped. Suki raised a hand tentatively. "Don't you mean, 'half _our_ age?' "

Toph vehemently shook her head. "Nope. You're acting a few years lower than that, even."

Katara sighed. "Toph's right. This is ridiculous. Suki, I'm really sorry. It was just... I had a really nasty shock when I saw Sokka in such a horrible state, when I arrived to save you guys. I... he's my big brother, and even though it seems like he should be the one protecting me, he's always been in my life, and after our mother... and he ran off without getting his leg healed, and I was worried when I found out about Ozai's plans... all my worries came to a head there. I know you did the best you did, but sometimes I can't help but think that if I could keep him under my care all the time, he'd be better off." She laughed. "I guess all that means that Sokka sends me into 'over-protective sister' mode far too often."

Suki smiled back at the Waterbender. "I get it. Really, I should be more understanding of that, not try to force myself into your family dynamic. The way you two were signaling to each other when we were boarding the ship..." She laughed. "I shouldn't get jealous of that. I _do_ think it's a partially my fault that Sokka got so hurt, but I want you to know that I really tried my best to keep him safe, and you can always count on me to give that my all. I know I can't make up for my mistakes, but I just wanted to do my best now to make him feel better."

Suki and Katara reached out to hold hands, their eyes bright and forgiving.

Toph nodded with satisfaction. "Great. Now that you're all sorted, I'll just take a sponge and go finish up with Sokka-"

"_TOPH_!"

* * *

Dodging with a broken shinbone, a broken arm (with broken hand and finger bones), broken ribs, various other broken bones (it got really hard to keep count near the end, there), and various smaller injuries that had finally gotten over their infection and were still in the process of healing... was not easy. Even so, it was amazing what a mix of adrenaline and motivation could accomplish. Even the most devastated of non-Bender humans were capable of great feats at the height of desperation; the histories of all four nations were built of such moments.

Sokka was currently hopping around the infirmary on his good leg, a confused Ty Lee (with her evil, sexy outfit) trailing behind him. "I'm actually a pretty good masseur. All that work with my training with Dim Mak and finger pokes and chi flows and stuff actually has a lot of crossover with good massage technique, and I took a little time while I was in the circus to learn more about it because the strongman- his name was Huan and he was kind of nice in a burly kind of way- was always pulling muscles and if he couldn't perform then we'd have to WATCH OUT FOR YOUR LEG!"

Sokka twisted instinctually at the warning, successfully keeping his broken shin bone from colliding with a misplaced stool, but unbalancing himself to the point of toppling to the floor. He quickly thrust out his good hand and successfully stopped his fall, but a second later the Water Tribe warrior realized that he couldn't get himself out of the perlious position without hurting himself. He looked up at Ty Lee. "Um, no massage, but could you help me back into bed?"

Ty Lee's smile, which had never left her face, grew toothy. "Suuuuuuuure."

Sokka had to admit, Ty Lee was strong, and he enjoyed the close physical contact more than he would ever let on. The Kyoshi Acrobat had to lower him gently onto his bed, and Sokka didn't realize the dangers of such a procedure until Ty Lee was crouched over him with her (very nice, very bare) legs pitched on either side of him, her arms wrapped around him and her chest pressed lightly against his own.

Of course, that was when the door opened and an audience walked in. Suki, Katara, and Toph all carrying trays of food, stopped and stared at the display. (Then Sokka remembered that Toph was blind and was likely reacting to Suki and Katara's heartbeats.)

No one spoke.

Then Ty Lee flashed her smile again. "I'm helping!"

Katara and Suki both frowned, and the latter stalked forward. "I'll. Just. _Bet_."

Sokka figured that was a good moment to speak up. "I swear... I am in so much pain right now... holding on... too tight..."

"Oh!" Ty Lee quickly set him down and extricated herself from his body. "Sorry! They startled me!"

"Ahhhhhhh," was Sokka's eloquent confirmation.

"I don't know what's going," Toph intoned with a hollow voice, "but it sounds _really_ wrong."

Katara rested her fists on her hips. "See, this is what I was talking about. Someone who doesn't know they're doing could easily-"

"_I HAVE MY FANS IN MY BELT AND I SWEAR BY AVATAR KYOSHI HERSELF THAT I WILL KILL ANYONE (but Sokka) WHO IS STILL IN THIS ROOM IN FIVE SECONDS!_" Suki's face was red from the shouting, and as if on cue, the broadcast of the 'Boy in Trouble' song came to a close. The Kyoshi Warrior grabbed Ty Lee's ear, and dragged the acrobat off Sokka's bed. "That means you, Legs. No touching my boyfriend, with _any_ part of your over-exposed body, without a written order from me or a world leader. Now _SCRAM_."

It was a testament to the ferocity of the declaration that everyone- even Toph- listened to her and quickly trotted out of the room. As the door slammed shut, Ty Lee commented, "How did she get the song to stop like that? I didn't think we could talk to the bridge through that-"

CLANG.

Sokka was alone with his furious girlfriend, and he felt his blood freezing as she locked the door. She turned to face him, and fear paralyzed him from voicing any of the excuses his brain was furiously stamping out and sending down to his mouth.

Abrubtly, Suki smirked and lifted a sponge from the tray she had carried into the room. "So, lunch first, or sponge bath?"

Sokka felt his blood return to normal temperatures, and smiled in relief. "I am so glad you came to save me. We seem to be making a habit of that."

"Feel free to break that habit any time, Mr Ladies' Man."

"Ooh, I like the sound of that."

"Sokka..."

**To Be Continued...**


	7. When the Heart is Vulnerable

When the Heart is Vulnerable

Aang was meditating to the sounds of one of the Kyoshi Warriors playing a hand-harp for Iroh's Musical program, at peace with the universe, and feeling the Energies of Life flow through him with every breath, when an angry Fire Lord stomped into the room, looked around, and testily exhaled a cloud of dark gray smoke.

Aang did his best to ignore Zuko.

The Firebender made a show of tromping out of the room, then clanging his way up and down the hallway. Whatever it was that he wanted, he obviously wasn't finding it.

Sometimes, Aang really considered hanging a sign around his neck that read, "Meditating. That means I'll talk to you _later_. Quiet please."

Zuko stomped back into Aang's room. A two-minute standoff ensued, which Aang ended by giving a truly epic sigh and opening his eyes. "What can I help you with, Zuko?"

The Fire Lord didn't even make an effort to look embarrassed. "Have you seen Mai?"

"Not all day. Toph said she saw her dragging a bathing tub to her room this morning."

Zuko actually blushed at that, for some reason. "Yeah, I saw her since then. I mean recently."

"Uh, nope."

"Like, maybe with some of the Yu Yan archers?"

"They were practicing in the bomb bay, on the opposite angle from Appa's pen, right?"

"Yes." Zuko's scowl intensified. "Mai dropped by to _watch_."

"O- kay."

"So they invited her to _give it a try_."

"O- kay."

"They were giving her _lessons_."

"Zuko, I really need a clue as to how I'm supposed to be reacting here,"

Zuko threw his hands into the air. "They were hitting on her! They were looking at her and touching her to make sure she was in a proper stance, and complimenting her aim, and all of them were paying attention to her! And she was all pleased, and said she could _get to like archery_. She was a bad as Ty Lee!"

Aang blinked. "What's wrong with Ty Lee?"

"She... oh, never mind. The point is, Mai was being flirtatious. With a bunch of war criminals who were working for my father a week ago. A week ago, those guys didn't even recognize my authority as Fire Lord; now I'm supposed to expect them to respect my engagement to Mai?"

Sometimes, the problems Aang faced called for the Wisdom and the Power of the Avatar. Rather than decreasing, as he had hoped when he took Ozai's bending away, those problems seemed to only be multiplying. Before, it had just been one nation trying to kill him and his friends (with scattered other enemies chipping in), but now, at least two nations were actively working to destroy him, and his friends were in more danger than ever. It was a trying time for the Avatar.

Sometimes, though, Aang found a problem that just required a little common sense from a thirteen-year-old monk. "Zuko, I really doubt that, even if the Yu Yan were excited to have a girl showing real interest in their work, Mai was actively flirting back. She was probably just enjoying trying something new, and being appreciated for her skills."

Zuko looked like he was having trouble swallowing a particularly chewy piece of jerky. "Yeah, maybe. I suppose. But I'd still like to know where they are."

Aang crossed his arms, and looked right into Zuko's eyes. "You _really_ don't trust her?"

Zuko couldn't help but wilt under that gaze. "How could you say that? Of course I trust her! I just... don't trust the Yu Yan. What if they're just pretending to help us now?"

Aang didn't let up the glare one bit. "So you truly think the Yu Yan are going to... what, exactly? Hurt Mai in order to get you mad? Hold her hostage? If you think that, are any of us safe?" Finally, the Avatar relaxed and smiled at his friend. "Zuko, if you're feeling a little jealous, admitting it is the first step towards not letting it consume you."

"...you're right." The Fire Lord took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "Yes, I am a little jealous. It's... you and Katara are _both_ Waterbenders. What Mai can do... is something I can't share."

Aang nodded. "I understand. But, you know, she isn't a Firebender, either." Aang leaned back, and his gaze unfocused. "All the Air Nomads were Airbenders, and we lived the same lifestyle, but because of that, we also celebrated our differences. I was afraid when I found out I was the Avatar, but that's because I saw divisions coming up between me and the people I loved. But only you and Mai together can make divisions like that happen. I chose to run away, in response to the way I was treated. You may think you're doing the opposite by acting possessive, but how do you think Mai will take that? It's not just our similarities that brought Katara and I together, it's that we decided to focus on them with each other, and I stopped trying to force it all."

Zuko could only stare at Aang agog. "And Katara is your _first_ girlfriend? How did you get so wise? ...oh, Avatar."

"Don't worry, Sifu Hotman," Aang grinned. "You're catching on."

At this point, the sounds of the performing Kyoshi Warrior's harp faded. A new voice, a man, spoke through the announcement pipes. "Good evening. I am Zavung, of the Yu Yan Archers. I will be singing a piece called 'Woman of my Dreams" for your enjoyment. I would like to dedicate it to the generous Lady Katara, the graceful master Waterbender, who healed so many of us with her holy touch. Thank you, beautiful lady."

Zuko stared at Aang.

Aang stared at Zuko.

The Fire Lord and the Avatar, two teenaged friends, stared at each other in horror.

"I'm going to go find Katara," Aang said, standing up to leave.

"Let me know if you see Mai."

"Right."

**To Be Continued...**


	8. We Make You Crazy

We Make You Crazy

Aang couldn't find Katara all throughout Yu Yan Zavung's serenade, which made for an increasingly anxious search. He did wind up figuring out Mai's whereabouts, although that was hardly an accomplishment, since they were announced to the whole ship once Zavung had finished.

"Hello! I'm Suki of the Kyoshi Warriors, and with me is Mai of the Fire Nation. You might know her as one of the Fire Nation's best warriors, Fire Lord Zuko's future Royal Consort, or just The Gloomy Girl Who Sighs A Lot."

"Let it be known that I'm here under duress."

"Isn't she funny? Mai and I worked together to compose a song earlier today, and now we'd like to perform it for you. Please feel free to share any feedback with us afterward. Thank you!"

"I swear, if the fact that I'm singing gets off this airship, I will hunt the traitor down and cut them, no matter who they are. Especially you, Toph."

Aang couldn't help but smile, and forget the urgency of his quest for a moment. Suki took up the song first, and it proved to be a very fast-paced piece of music. The basic gist of the lyrics was that the singer was an especially attractive girl who was pursued so frequently and so intently by all the boys she encountered, that she learned to take pleasure in teasing and denying them. Aang personally couldn't say he approved of such behavior, having been on the Unrequited side of a crush for a while, but the lyrics were too amusing and silly to take them seriously. Mai took over for the second verse, and while Suki's part was bouncier and filled with jokes, Mai's was quicker and more deadpan. The deeper-voiced girl played a second character, who was equally as beautiful as the first girl but not at all interested in dating, and the more honest disinterest she expressed, the more the boys pursued her.

Aang couldn't help but wonder what inspired the girls to compose this song. That's when he nearly bumped into Katara. Specifically, her rear end.

"Oh!"

"Ah!"

"Aang!"

"Hi!"

"Sorry, I was... um..."

"Dancing to Suki and Mai's song?"

"Yes!"

"Ah."

"Yeah."

"That was... a different kind of dancing than I've seen you do before."

"Oh. Really. Because I was dancing completely normally. Really."

"So you normally shake your-"

"No! I mean... um, well, I was kind of getting into the song, and no one was around..."

"It's okay. I thought you looked good."

"Oh..."

"..."

"Thanks..."

"Sure..."

The two were left staring at each other while the music played on. Suki took over for Mai, and went on to sing about all the ridiculous gifts she got from her various admirers.

Aang smiled at Katara. "So, care to dance?"

Katara's own grin answered him. "Sure."

"Dance like you were when I found you?"

"Oh really?"

"I can keep up."

Katara gave Aang that _look_, the one Aang earned whenever he was at his most flirtatious. "Good, because I'm going to be too busy to worry about your feet."

Then she began moving.

Aang joined her.

The pair had danced before, at that Dance Party Aang had masterminded, back when they first visited/invaded the Fire Nation. Of course, the "dancing" had really been improvised from a Waterbending practice form they had both learned from Master Pakku, but hadn't been any less impressive a performance for it. This time, though, Aang and Katara were only dancing for each other.

They played a game.

Katara started it, the way she swayed and twisted her body. Aang found himself moving closer to her as he jived to the music, and Katara didn't dance away, but she seemed to be controlling her writhing so that while she came close to touching Aang, she never actually made contact. Aang challenged her by taking another step closer, and Katara temporarily retreated, before coming back to once again come just short of touching. She moved like a wave on a beach, and Aang was the sand eager to absorb to the sea.

Aang blushed as he decided that sounded vaguely dirty.

Mai once again took over, and she was singing so fast that Aang couldn't keep up with the lyrics and Katara's dancing at the same time. Somehow, though, Aang appreciated that, because it let him focus on how _smoky_ Mai's voice could be when she let it. It was an appropriate accompaniment to the way Katara was moving.

The dancing and the music continued without slowing, but as with all things, eventually reached an ending. Just as Suki and Mai crooned the last lines together, Aang burst forward and captured Katara in his arms. "Looks like I caught the girl _I_ was pursuing."

Katara snorted with amusement. "Good job. I've only been shaking here, waiting for you."

"Just like with riding Koi fish, chasing is half the fun!"

Katara burst out laughing at that, and Aang joined her. He let go, and they sank to the floor, sitting side by side. Ignoring the next musical broadcast, Aang took a deep breath and said something that he had been building up towards ever since Katara had arrived on _The White Dragon_. "I'm sorry I made you go after Sokka alone."

Katara sighed and leaned against him. "No, you're not."

"Um?"

"You had to go after Zuko, and you were right. Just like I was right to go after Sokka."

"So, then..."

She turned to stare him in the eyes. "Aang, sometimes we're going to be called in different directions. So long as we're always willing to go catch each other later, I don't see a problem."

The Avatar considered that, smiled, and nodded. "That sounds fair."

"Of course. I'm always right."

"Uh..."

"Good boy."

**To Be Continued...**


	9. Goodnight, My Darling

Goodnight, My Darling

Sokka was working strenuously to suppress a powerful yawn when Zuko walked into the infirmary. "HHHWWWAAAiyah, roommate. Sorry, been a busy day."

Zuko shrugged. "Well, you can get all the rest you need. I'm just stopping by for my stuff." He went to his bed and began gathering a spare change of clothes and other odds and ends.

"Your uncle finally let up on you? I guess his music thing is distracting him."

"Well, not exactly. I was kind of... goingtostaywithMaitonight."

Sokka blinked and grinned predatorily. "What was that last bit? I didn't quite catch it."

"Never mind."

"I think I caught Mai's name in there."

"Don't worry about it."

"I'm not sure that type of activity is authorized. Maybe I should call up to the bridge to check-"

At that, Zuko whirled around to shine his furious, scarred scowl on the Water Tribe boy. "Don't. You. Dare."

Sokka sniggered. "Eh, don't worry about. I'm just messing with you. Bros gotta stick together, am I right?"

Sokka had never seen Zuko blush before. "It's not... like that. It's... I'm sick of this room, no offense, and Mai and I had some ups and downs today... mostly on my side. It would just be nice to just be together, relaxed. Do you understand?"

Sokka refused to be reasonable. He had found that it was a good strategy for humor. "Sure, sure, I get you, you want relaxation. This bro is in complete support of your lifestyle choices. Especially for a girl like Mai."

Zuko stiffened like a Firebender in a snowstorm. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?" The temperature in the room suddenly went up.

Sokka suddenly realized that he had very little experience with bro-teasing, and may have crossed a line. It didn't help that his only other bro's choice of girlfriend, Aang with Katara, didn't really leave room for this specific joke. "Just... that... she has a nice singing voice."

Zuko blinked. "Oh. Suki sang well, too."

"Thanks."

Both boys were silent while they tried to figure out if 'singing' had somehow become a euphemism for something else. Sokka ran his good hand through his hair self-consciously. "So, want to have a talk where we acknowledge the personal problems that are making us cranky, and then bond and promise friendship in the coming battles and stuff?"

"Nope." Zuko went for the door. "I'm going to Mai. G'night."

"Yeah, see ya." Alone again, Sokka laid back on his sick bed, and sighed. Suki, Katara, and Aang had all dropped by with their good-night wishes, and Ty Lee had poked in her head for a moment to give him a suggestive leer and blow him a good-night kiss before dashing away, and so he was once again left in the dark with nothing but his injuries and failures. His various injuries were steadily getting better, sped up by Katara's twice-daily healing sessions, but the broken bones were still slow to heal, thanks to the lack of clean breaks. More than anything, he wanted to be up and about and helping everyone get ready for the coming war, but instead, he was dragging everyone back. He knew, intellectually, that none of the others thought of him that way, but it was like his heart had a brain of its own, and was getting its own counter-productive ideas. (Although, two brains would probably come in handy when inventing stuff...)

Ah well, nothing to do but rest and try to get better. And not let Ty Lee cripple him even more.

Over the broadcast pipes, Iroh finished singing a little ditty he called, 'Four Seasons, Four Loves.' Sokka kind of liked it, but Iroh's singing could use improvement; it was enthusiastic, but not quite on tune, to Sokka's ears. Still, catchy. Sokka found himself mumbling a reprise when Iroh spoke up again. "And now, for our last performance in this special event of mine, we have an anonymous contributor who will deliver the last lullaby. It is an old song of indeterminate origin, having passed over the seas and reaching all the nations before memory, although now most know it as a Farewell Poem passed between young lovers. How our performer learned it, I cannot say, but there is no doubt the music is of the highest quality. Good night, my friends and allies, and I hope this little musical event has brought some peace to your souls."

The voice that came up next didn't actually sing. Instead, she (Sokka could tell it was a 'she') _hummed_ the entire piece. It was actually a lot better than he would have expected, because the girl certainly wasn't without a sense of tone and melody. Sometimes, to add variety to the sound, she would give some wordless crooning that reminded Sokka a little of the howling of wolves, in that it was full of emotion and naturally harmonious.

The piece itself was slow, but structured, and Sokka found himself reminded of the lullabies he liked to think his mother had sang to him. Certainly, the sound gave Sokka a sense of well-being. But then, his friends often did that.

He stayed awake long enough to hear then entire song, and then picked up the speaking tube that the others had linked directly to the bridge for him. "Good night, Toph. Great lullaby."

"Goodnight Sokka," the hummer's voice came back, over the direct line to the infirmary. "Feel better."

"I do."

That night, _The White Dragon_ was at peace.

**END**


End file.
